Vendor arrested for trading porcupines

A vendor in Wangchin district of Phrae province was arrested by soldiers and police after she was found to have in possession slaughtered porcupines for sale.

Ms Pailin Kaeodam, 44, a vendor at a market in Phrae, was stopped for check after she drove in a motorcycle passing a security checkpoint on Highway 1048 from Thorn to Thung Saliem in Thoen district carrying two fertilizer bags.

The search of the bags showed eight slaughtered porcupines concealed in four small bags weighing about 60 kilogrammes and porcupines inards, weighing about 2.6 kg.

Ms Pailin admitted that she bought the slaughtered porcupines from villagers in Thoen district in Lampang to sell in the market in Phrae.

She bought them at 250 baht per kilogramme and sold it at 300 baht.

Police initially charged her for having in possession carcasses of protected wildlife species and for wildlife trade. She was later sent to Thoen police station for detention.